Charles ennis



(No Model.) I

O. ENNIS. PROTECTIVE DEVICE FOR METER COUPLINGS.

Patented Apr. 26, 1898.

Irweni vr: Charles Emma's .UNITED STATES PATENT Orrrcn'.

CHARLES ENNIS, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR OF ONEHALF TO PAUL A. MANN, OF SAME PLACE.

PROTECTlV-E DEVICE FOR METER-COUPLINGS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 602,982, dated April 26, 1898.

Application filed June '7, 1897- Serial No. 639,63L (No modeL) To on whom it may concern: the boss CL and the house-pipe b, with the Be it known that I, CHARLES ENNIS, of Boscoupling member or nut b restrained thereby ton, in the county of Suffolk and State of from movement suliicient to uncouple the Massachusetts, have invented an Improveparts. 5 ment in Protective Devices for Meter-Ooup- The member D is shown as an open link lings, of which the following description, in having a straight upright end (Z extended to connection with the accompanying drawings, form projecting lugs 61, the sides of the link is a specification, like letters on the drawings being bentor curved outwardly at d and then representing like parts. contracted to form a loop d at the other end 10 This invention has for its object the proand substantially in the plane of the end 61. duction of a simple and effective detachable The member E is also shown as an open link protective device specially adapted for gashaving a straight upright end 6, the sides of meter couplings, to be applied to the coupling the link being also bent or curved outwardly and locked or sealed in place to prevent tamat c and terminating in a loop a in the plane I 5 pering with the connection or to indicate such of the straight end 6; but between the end 6 tampering therewith. and the curved portions 0 the link is widened Some forms of gas-meter are provided with at 6 leaving shoulders e. a tubular boss having a threaded head, to The distance between the upper and lower which the house-pipe is connected by a suitsides of each member at the curved portions 2o able coupling, and it is the practice of some is sufficient to embrace the coupliugnut b gas companies to insert a plug in the connec- (see Fig. l) and the lower side of the head a tion to prevent the passage of gas when for of the boss a. any reason it is desired to prevent the use of In use the member D is passed through the gas without removing the meter. member E at the widened parts c until the 25 By the use of my invention tampering with shoulders e bear against the sides of the memand uncoupling the connection maybe absober D adjacent the straight end 01 thereof, lutely prevented or such tampering will be while the lugs d prevent separation of the clearly indicated, according to Whether the members when the device is in use. The protective device is locked or sealed in place. curved portions (1 e of the members embrace 30 Figure 1 represents a meter connection or the boss and house-pipe above and below the coupling with my invention applied thereto coupling-nut b and head a, as shown in Fig. and locked in place. 2 is a perspective 1, the loop-like ends 61 and 6 being brought view of the protective device detached, and close together at such time to receive the Figs. 3 and a are perspective views of the two hasp h of a padlock P, or, if desired, a suit- 5 cooperating members thereof. able wire seal may be passed through them.

The top A of the meter is provided with a The members D and E are thus pivotallycontubular boss a, having a threaded head a, nected or hinged together, as it were, by the whichis connected with the endb of the houseinterlocking straight ends cl and c. pipe by a suitable interiorly-threaded coup- "When the clamp is in place, the coupling o ling nut or collar b and by loosening the nut cannot be unscrewed, because the upper coupling-nut a plug may be inserted in either and lower sides of the members D and E exthe boss a or the pipe I) to prevent passage of tend across the top of said nut and below the gas to the house system, the coupling b behead ct of the boss, respectively, and if the ing then screwed into place on the head ct. protective device is locked on tampering with 5 45 To prevent loosening of the coupling by unthe coupling is effectually prevented.

authorized persons and subsequent removal If the device is merely sealed in place, the of the plug, so that gas may be used, I have seal must be fractured or broken before the provided a detachable protective device coupling can be operated, and hencethe con- (shown separately in Fig. 2) comprising two dition of the seal will at once show that the mo 50 members D E, adapted tointerlock at one end coupling has been tampered with.

and form a hinge connection and to surround The members of the protector maybe made from cast metal, or they may be made of heavy stiff Wire, if desired.

Obviously the protective device may be applied to any form of coupling similar to that herein shown, whether in connection with a gas-meter or some other device.

My invention is not restricted to the pre cise construction and arrangement herein shown, as the same may be varied or modified Without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention;

Having fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is'

1. A detachable protective device for couplings, comprising two separable members outwardly curved between their ends, and each having a straight, bar-like end, one of the members being increased in width and open adjacent said straight end to permit the pas sage therethrough of the other member, the latter member having projecting lugs at its straight end, to cooperate with and prevent Withdrawal from the former member, substantially as described.

.2. Adetachable protective device for couping increased in width adjacent said straight end to permit the passage therethrough of the other member, the latter member having projecting lugs at its straight end, to cooperate with and prevent withdrawal from the former member, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CHARLES ENNIS.

Witnesses:

JOHN G. EDWARDS, AUGUSTA E. DEAN. 

